The present invention relates to: a wall assembly into which an AV (audiovisual) device is embedded; a wall assembly with display screen in which an image display function is built in a wall assembly that can be employed as a wall of an architecture, an indoor partition, or the like; and an architecture that employs this wall assembly or this wall assembly with display, screen.
In recent years, occasions become more frequent that high-image quality digital broadcasting is watched through a thin display device having a large screen. Nevertheless, although thickness reduction is achieved in display devices, when a display device having a large screen is installed in a room of an ordinary home, a problem arises that the display device occupies a large space and hence the room space becomes limited, a problem arises that operation noises from the device body are annoying in the room, and a problem arises that heat flow irradiated from the device body circulates in the room. As a method of resolving this problem, a flat television set is employed and attached onto a wall surface (e.g., Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-36609 (Patent Document 1) and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H10-207385 (Patent Document 2)).
In general, in a room where a television receiver (a television set, hereinafter) and AV devices (audio visual devices) such as a speaker are to be installed, a wardrobe, a closet, and other furniture are also installed. Further, in the walls of the room, a window and a door are provided. Thus, the resident of the room cannot arbitrarily install the television set, the AV devices, and the like. Furthermore, in AV devices, there are many types such as a speaker and a reproduction device. This causes a problem that when a large number of AV devices are installed, the room space becomes limited while cable wiring for connecting these devices degrades the esthetic appearance of the room.
Then, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-81537 (Patent Document 3), a home theater system is described that is constructed from: a cabinet for accommodating AV devices; and a ceiling provided with a cable wiring function. According to Patent Document 3, a dwelling space provided with an audio system having three-dimensional broadening realized by a large screen and stereophonic sound can be constructed without degradation in the esthetic appearance of the room.
In the prior art, thin display devices have spread widely that employ an image display device such as a liquid crystal panel. In recent years, in these display devices, advancement is achieved in size increase of the display screen, thickness reduction of the housing, and price reduction. By virtue of this, video watching through a display device having a large screen is realized even in ordinary homes. Nevertheless, although thickness reduction has progressed in display devices, installation of a display device occupies a part of the room. Thus, a large-size display device need be installed in a rather large room. Accordingly, a solution of the above-mentioned problem is sought by installing the display device in a wall or the like of the room.
For example, in Japanese Patent No. 3423529 (Patent Document 4), a system for wall surface installation of a display device is proposed in which a recess is formed in a wall and then a flat type image forming apparatus (display device) is accommodated in the recess so that a display device can easily be installed without degradation in the esthetic appearance of the installation space. In this system, a connector section that integrates various kinds of wiring is provided in a rear face or a side face of the display device. Then, a connector section is provided at a corresponding position in the recess of the wall, so that the two connector sections can automatically be connected to each other simultaneously to the installation of the display device into the recess.
FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view for describing the outline of a wall surface installed system of Patent Document 4. In the figure, numeral 11 indicates a wall of an architecture or a residence. In one wall surface of the wall 11, a recess 12 is formed for accommodating a display device 15. The display device 15 is provided with a thin housing having a flat rectangular parallelepiped shape. Then, a display screen (not shown) for displaying a video is provided in the front face of the housing, while a connector section 16 that integrates various kinds of wiring is provided in the rear face of the housing in a manner protruding rearward. The recess 12 in the wall 11 has a size and a shape which are approximately the same as or slightly larger than the display device 15. In the surface opposing the rear face of the display device 15 accommodated in the recess 12, a connector section 13 is provided that is to be connected to the connector section 16 of the display device 15. Further, a cable 14 is connected to the connector section 13, while the cable 14 is connected to a power supply, an antenna, or the like (not shown) through the inside of the wall 11.
In the wall surface installed system having the above-mentioned configuration, when the display device 15 is accommodated into the recess 12 in the wall 11, the connector section 16 of the display device 15 is connected to the connector section 13 in the recess 12. This allows the user to easily install the display device 15 into the wall 11. Further, since the display device 15 is accommodated in the recess 12 of the wall 11, even a large-size display device 15 is prevented from occupying a part of the room. Furthermore, since the cable 14 can be connected to a power supply or an antenna through the inside of the wall 11, an advantage is obtained that the esthetic appearance of the room is improved.